Change through Culture
Why Grandmothers?
In African communities
- Grandmothers have great influence on their families
- Their experience and wisdom is respected
- They are culturally responsible for socializing adolescent girls
We have discovered that grandmothers are a key to making lasting changes and improvements in their communities
Grandmother Project’s Change through Culture Approach
Grandmother Project works with both rural and urban communities to improve the lives of women and children, especially of girls, using an innovative Change through Culture approach. This approach builds on community knowledge and experience and empowers communities to promote positive change for the benefit of all.
Our approach
Grandmothers educate children about their history and culture and ensure they stay in school.
Grandmothers are natural leaders and change makers. Mobilized grandmother leaders are a force for change in communities across Senegal.
Grandmother Project works to make sure communities are educated about girls’ rights and well-being – and work to abandon harmful traditions that hurt girls’ futures.
Grandmother project in numbers
8,452 primary students &
1,223 secondary students
have participated in GMP Education programs
1,636 grandmothers trained
and supported to make a difference in the lives of girls
77 villages and 2 urban areas
participated in GMP’s programs
Elders transmit positive values to younger generations
Intergenerational dialogue solidifies the role of grandmothers and ensures that positive traditions continue. Grandmothers play a central role in the protection and education of children – especially girls
Meta, Grandmother Leader: No matter what position you occupy in the hierarchy of a community, you have to listen to the ideas of others and respect them. The true leader is one who is able to analyze “what this person is saying is more relevant and more objective than what I am saying. “
Meta was an influential Grandmother Leader and an especially fierce advocate for girls’ rights and well-being in her community. At the end of October 2021, she died in a traffic accident. Her loss will be felt for generations to come. We remember her through her sage words that all of us can use in our daily lives – wherever we are.
Donors and Partners
Awards
